Hog futures end higher - CME
Cattle futures bounce after six-day losing streak
11 September 2025
2 minute read
By: Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle futures recovered slightly on Wednesday after falling sharply lower the previous day as technical trading and lower revised jobs numbers pressured the market, Reuters reported, citing analysts.
Traders feared that government data showing the US economy likely created 911,000 fewer jobs in the 12 months through March than previously estimated could be a sign that consumer demand for beef will finally begin to slip after shrugging off months of record-high beef prices.
"The technicals yesterday certainly broke to the downside," said Don Roose, president of US commodities, a grain and livestock investment management firm.
He added that while the cash cattle trade is trending lower this week, "the futures are still running too big of a discount to the cash."
CME October live cattle futures ended 0.975 cent higher at 231.150 cents per pound after six sessions of falls. Feeder cattle also bounced back, with the October contract ending up 0.475 cent at 350.400 cents per pound.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said the wholesale choice boxed beef value fell $2.03 per hundredweight on Wednesday afternoon to $405.64 per cwt. The select cutout fell $3.28 to $383.68 per cwt.
Beef packer margins were at $46.00 per head on Wednesday, down from $52.75 per head on Tuesday and $86.20 a week ago, according to livestock marketing advisory service HedgersEdge.
CME lean hog futures also ticked up on Wednesday, following cattle, with weights increasing seasonally, said Roose.
The USDA reported pork carcasses rose $0.66 to $114.77 per cwt. Bellies rose $2.68 to $182.09 per cwt.
October lean hog futures ended 0.700 cent higher at 96.825 cents per pound.
